Lubricator for loom picker spindles



ug- 13, 192% R. G. TURNER LUBRCATOR FOR LOOM PICKER SPINDLES Patented 13, i929.

unirte srA'rss A naam varan'r OFFICE.

RCHARD Gr. TURNER, OTE' VOROESTER, MEAC''SETS, A SSIGNOR TO CBOMPTON &

SETTS, A CORPORATION OF Application nled February r, 1921i.

This invention relates to a lubricator for loom picker spindles and it is the general object of the invention to provide a device ot this kind which is controlled by some part of the picking' mechanism so that there will be no chance for the element which has direct Contact with the picker spindle to be in the path of the picker when the latter is in shuttle propelling` position.

In practically all drop box looms and on the plain ends ot many automatic weft replenishing looms the picker mechanism inchicles a rod or a spindle substantially parallel to the lay and along` which a rawhide picker is caused to slide by a picker stick. A portion ot the picker is slotted to receive the picker stick while another portion engages the tip of the shuttle. As the picker h moves back and 'forth along the spindle it is found that the latter becomes heated, especially in 'fast running looms. There ordinar-ily is no way of distributing; a small amount of oil over the surtace of the spindle such as is desirable to prevent spatteringg1 of oil on the yarn or cloth as the picker moves inwardly and it is an objecto-my present invention to deposit a very thin lilm of lubricant together with resilient means which tend normally to move the lubricating element away from the spindle.

It is a more particular object of my present invention to employ a lubricating,` element of paraffin, wax or some similar substance which is normally solid and melts at a comparatively low temperature. Such a lubricant will lubricate the spindle only at such times as the latter is sufficiently hot to melt a small amount of the lubricant.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement ot parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein l have shown a convenient embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of one end of a loom showing the shuttle box in rear-most position with the picker stick actuating` the lubricating device,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation taken in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig'. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the picker stick and picker moved inwardly Serial No. 252,516.

so that the lubricating` device is not actuated, and

Fig. l is a Afragmentary view taken on line lf-4l of Fig. 2, showing a method of holdingP the lubricant. i

ln a loom which has a single shuttle box at one end it is customary to have the picking mechanisms at the ends of the loom actuated on alternate beats. By this arrange ment the picker stick is actuated at the end ot the loom where the active shuttle happens to be located. The picker stick and parts moving` therewith start to propel the shuttle across the loom when the lay is going backwardly and has reached its mid position, or at a point which is termed in the trade top center. When the lay reaches back center the picker stick will ordinarily be in an inward position on the picking side ot' the loom and will not return to its outer position until the lay has started on its forward movement. My present `invention makes use ol' this tact and enables me to support the movable parts of the device on a fixed pivot.

{eter-ring` more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 l have shown a loom trame 1() and a lay L provided with a shuttle boX B which receives the shuttle S. rl`he shuttle box has projectingiirom the rear side thereof two spaced lugs 11 and 12 which afford support` for a picking` spindle 13. The inner end of the spindle, the right hand end as viewed in the drawings., is received by a small bush-- ing` 141-. which is of conical Jform, as indicated in Fig. 1, and is seated in the inner lug` 11. The outer end of the spindle passes through a bore 15 formed in the lug; 12 and is held in position by a screw 16 threaded into said luc` 12. The method of support for the picker spindle terms no part of my present invention and may it desired be similar to that shown in patent to Lanciault No. 1,594,620.

The picker stick is indicated at 17 and may be actuated by any picking` mechanism not shown to have an inward movement or a movement from the i'ull line position to that shown in `dotted lines in Fig. 2 on every alternate beat ot the loom when there is a. single boi; at one end ot the lay L. A picker 18 Ais provided with a bearing 19 through which extends the spindle 13 and said picker also has a shuttle engaging` portion 20. That portion of the picker between the bearing 19 and the shuttle engag ing.V part is provided with a slot 21 through which extends the upper end of the picker stick 17. The picker extends through the .Wall 22 forming the rear part ot' the box Band is adapted to slide along' and be guided by the picker spindle. The matter t-hus far described is ot common construction and forms no part of my present invention, being the usual form of picking arrangement found on drop box looms and A on certain weft replenishing looms.

fof a bolt 31 to the loom frame 10 is In carrying' my invention into eifect I provide means for periodically depositing' a small amount of lubricant on the spindle 13. Astand 30 which is secured by means proi vided with an upstanding stud 32 which extends through a slot 32.a and may be held in adjusted position in said slot by a nut. 33 on the lower end thereof. The upper portion y of the stud has mounted thereon two relaby means of the spring 38. struction the two levers 34 and Amove independently tively movable levers 34 and 35 having hubs 36and 37, respectively, through which the stud extends. A coiled spring 3S surrounds portions of the hubs 36 and 37 and has one end extended behind the lever 35 as at 39 while the other end is extended behind the lever 34 as at 40. The lever 35 has a projecting finger 41 which is held against an upstanding pin 42 carried by the lever 34 By this con- 35 may move around the stud without relative movement but when occasion requires said levers may of each other because of the yielding action permitted by the spring 38.. A light tension spring 43 interposed between the pin 42 and a second pin 44 on the stand tends to hold the lever 34 against a stop 45 carried by the bracket 30 so that the parts are normally in the position shown in F ig. 3.

The left hand end of the actuating lever 35 is designed for cooperation with the picker and has a head 46 Yformed substanticovered, if desired7 with a coating of leather or other suitable material 47 which will operate to reduce shock, wear and noise. The head is provided with an inclined surface 48 adapted for cooperation with the picker Vstick 17 should the latter move to the left while the head 46V is in its path.

The right hand end of the lubricant supporting lever 34 may be as shown in Fig.

.4, said end being formed with a pocket 49 "which receives the lubricating element 50 which in the present instance may be a block of paraffin, wax or other solid lubricant which melts at a relatively low temperature. For certain features of my invention, however I am not limited to the particular form of lubricant, as the levers already del scribed will opera-te 'satisfactorily independ ently of the type of lubricantor lubricating element employed. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the pocket 49 lies in substantially the same horizontal plane as the spindle 13 so that the lubricating element 5t) may have substantial contact with said spindle.

Under normal operation the picker stick will be in the position shown in Fig. 2 in full lines on one pick, namely, when the shuttle is being picked toward the plain end of the loom, and will be in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 on the next pick when the lay is in the rear position indicated in Figs. 1 and lVhen the picker stick is in the position shown in Fig. Q. it will engage the head 46 as the lay nears the rearward part of its stroke to rock the actuating' lever 35 and the lubricant carrying` lever 34 around stud 32. During this movement a time will come when the lubricating` element 50 will engage the spindle 13, a tter which continued rear movement of the actuator lever 35 will result in stressing the spring` 38 and in moving the linger 4l away from the stop pin 42. By means ot the yielding of said spring it is unnecessary to have the lever accurately timed or located with respect to the motion or position ot the lay. The yielding of said lever also permits the lubricant to be in contact with the spindle an appreciable length oli time. It will be understood that when the levers are rocked as described the picker will he to the left as shown in Fig. 2 where it cannot interfere with the operation of the lubricating device.

lVhen the picker stick has been moved to the dotted line position in Fig. 2 to propel the shuttle to the opposite side ot the loom. said stick will not engage the actuator lever 35 and the latter will be held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by the lightr` tension spring 43. IVhen in this position the lubricating` element 50 is out otl the path ot the picker so that the latter is free to move` to the position shown in Fig. 3 without inter'lereiue on the part of the lubricant 50. The time when the picker stick starts to move toward the outer end 01"' the shuttle box depends somewhat upon the setting of the picking` cam not shown and should the picker stick move to the'lett early in the piek of the loom it will engage the inclined portion is and move the lever 35 in a counter-clockwise direction around the stud 32. This movement of the two levers will take place after the picker has been moved away from the range of movement ot the lubricant at).

While I have shown the invention in connection with a loom haviim` a plain or single shuttle box at one end yet I do not wish to' be limited to this construction as certain teatures of the invention may operate satistartorily even though a single box be not pres" ent in the loom.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple lubricating device actuated by the picker stick and constructed to yield so that the lubricant may remain in contact with the picker spindle an appreciable length of time and also be spared the sudden shock, noise and Wear on the picker stick Which would result it the actuating and lubricating carrying` elements were Yformed in one piece. It will :further be seen that when the device is used in the particuar embodiment set torth herein. it can operate only on alternate beats of the loom and that this operation is dependent upon the picker stick. It will further be seen that I have provided the loom With a picker spindle lubricant which is normally solid but which melts at a sufficiently loW temperature to operate successfully because oi the heat generated on the picker spindle by the move ment of the picker. It will also be seen that because of the tact that the device is dependent for its operation on the picker stick it is impossible for thelubricating elenient 'to get in the path of the picker or be damaged by contact with the latter.

I-Iaving thus described my invention it vvill be apparent that changes and modiiications may be made therein by those skilled in the art Without departing trom the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not Wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a lubricating device for an elongated memberl carried by the lay of the loom, means movable substantially parallel to the member to propel the shuttle, and a lubrieating device operated by the shuttle propelling means to be moved into lubricating engagement with the elongated member.

i2. In a picker spindle lubricating device tor a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a lubricating member normally spaced from the spindle, and means actuated by the picker stick as the lay moves to move said lubri eating member into engagement with the spindle.

3. In a picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a pair of resiliently connected elements movable about a iiXed axis, one of said elements to be engaged by the picker stick as the lay moves backivardly to cause the other element to move toward the spindle, and a lubricating member carried by said other element to have contact With 'the spindle.

t. In a picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a tvvo part rocking device, one part of which is adapted for actuation by the picker as the lay moves and the other part of which is movable toward the spindle when the tiret part is actuated by the picker stick, yielding means to hold said parts in normal position, and a lubricating member carried by one of the parts to have engagement with the spindle when the other part is engaged by the picker stick.

5. In a picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a pivoted device having a portion to be cngaged by the picker stick as the lay nieves, a lubricating member carried by another part oitl said device adapted for engagement with the spindle, and a member interposed between the picker stick and the lubrica'tor member to yield when the picker stick engages said device.

6. In a picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a lubricating member, and means establishling a yielding connection between the picker stick and said member and operative by the picker stick as the lay moves to move the lubricating member into engagement with the picker stick. v

7. In picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a pair ot levers, means to hold said levers yieldingly in a given position, one of said levers to engage the picker stick as the lay moves, and a lubricating member carried b y the other lever and movable into engagement Vwith the spindle When the first named lever engages the picker stick.

8. In a picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a pair of levers, a common pivotal support for said levers, yielding means to hold said levers in a given position, and a lubricating member carried by one of said levers and movable into engagement vvith the spindle when the other of said levers is engaged by the picker stick as the lay moves.

9. In a picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, a movable device having a portion normally lying in the path of the picker stick the lay moves, and a lubricating member carried by said device and positioned for engage ment With the picker spindle, said device to be engaged by the picker stick on those beats of the loom When the picker stick is at rest relatively to the lay to move said lubricating member into engagement with the spindle.

10. In a picker spindle lubricating device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby along the spindle, the picker stick to be active during certain beats ot the loom and inactive during certain other beats of the loom, and a lubricating device for the picker spindle rendered operative by the picker stick on those beats of the loom when said picker stick is in its inactive position.

1l. In a picker spindle lubricating` device for a loom having a lay, ay picker stick and a picker' movable thereby along the spindle7 a substantially solid lubricating member hav` ing a relatively lou7 melt-ing` temperature7 and means rendered operative by the picker stick as the lay moves rearwardly to move said lubricating member into contact with the picker spindle, the heat of the picker spindle melting` a small amount et' the lubricant which is left on the spindle.

l2. In a picker spindle lubricatilmv device for a loom having a lay, a picker stick and a picker movable thereby alonpY the spindle,y a substantially solid lubricant having a relatively low melting temperature, a yieldingl support tor said member, and an actuator for said support to be engaged by the picker stick as the lay moves, said actuating` inember tending` to move the support more than is necessary to cause engagement between the picker spindle and the lubricant when thc latter is of maximum size.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto a1- lixed my signature.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

